TL;DR: Both are owned by IMG Academy. NCSA is family-direct and sells packages with human recruiting coaches after a sales call. SportsRecruits is a self-serve platform that clubs often pay for. NCSA shows you when coaches open your messages; SportsRecruits doesn't. Pick NCSA if you want a person guiding you and the budget allows it. Pick SportsRecruits if your club already provides it.
Last updated · Sources
IMG Academy has owned NCSA for years and bought SportsRecruits in May 2025. IMG runs them as two layers: SportsRecruits for clubs and self-serve families, NCSA for families who want hands-on help. NCSA's own club and high school page now points clubs to SportsRecruits.
| Category | NCSA | SportsRecruits |
|---|---|---|
| Who buys it | Families, directly | Clubs and high schools, plus families |
| Price | Not published, quoted on a call. Reported at about $1,200 to $6,000+ per package | Shown after you log in: $499/year or about $99/month (October 2026) |
| Human recruiting coach | Yes, on MVP and MVP+ (group coaching on Elite) | No |
| Messaging coaches | Through NCSA's Message Center (paid tiers) | Through SportsRecruits; arrives in the coach's inbox from a SportsRecruits address |
| Read receipts | Yes, on paid tiers | No. You see profile link clicks and video views |
| Profile view tracking | Paid tiers | Free tier says a college viewed you; Pro shows which one |
| Refunds | Terms not published; families report mixed experiences | Non-refundable, auto-renews (per Terms) |
| Club product | Points clubs to SportsRecruits | Core business, 2,000+ organizations |
| Official partnerships | US Club Soccer, USA Lacrosse (with SportsRecruits) | IWLCA, IMLCA, NFHCA official platforms |
| Reviews | Trustpilot 4.3 (4,483 reviews), iOS app 2.7 | No Trustpilot reviews; iOS app 2.8 (18 ratings) |
Free profile; paid tiers are Champion, Elite, MVP, and MVP+. Prices are quoted on a call. Family and third-party reports put packages from about $1,200 to $6,000+.
Free profile; Pro is $499/year or about $99/month, shown once you log in (October 2026). Pro also bundles IMG Academy+ Essentials and a $400 IMG Academy camp voucher. Many athletes get Pro through their club.
Paid members message any college coach through the Message Center, and coaches get an email notification. You can see when a coach opens your message or views your profile.
Pro members write in SportsRecruits, and the coach gets it like a normal email from a SportsRecruits address, with your profile link inside. You're alerted when a coach clicks that link or watches your video, but not when they open the message.
Yes. IMG Academy owns NCSA and bought SportsRecruits in May 2025. They're still separate products.
Usually. SportsRecruits Pro is $499/year or about $99/month once you log in (October 2026). NCSA doesn't publish prices; packages are reported at about $1,200 to $6,000+.
No. Its help center says it doesn't show when a coach opens your message. It does alert you when a coach clicks your profile link or watches your video.
Yes, on paid memberships. You can see when a coach opens your message or views your profile.
SportsRecruits' terms say subscriptions are non-refundable. NCSA doesn't publish refund terms, so ask for them in writing before you buy.
If you want to run your own outreach but have coaches hear from you directly, ProductiveRecruit sends from your own Gmail and tracks opens, clicks, profile views, and replies. $39/month or $349/year, published, with a 7-day free trial.
Try ProductiveRecruit freeSources (checked October 30, 2026)
